Review Summary: If only this released a year sooner…
The Dogg Pound is an enigma to me because this near masterpiece is often overlooked and I never knew why since I was only 2 when it came out. The beats were mesmerizing and the rapping was smolderingly precise and definitely west-coast. Following the concept album style of chopping this music as you drive home in the LBC in your ’83 Cadillac in the summer which is perpetual down in the West Coast. Hell, even DJ Easy Dick from Doggystyle comes back to spin some smooth pimp wisdom.
Let’s get things straight. If you know anything about Snoop Dogg, you’ll know that he was 19 fresh out of jail all while being the clear main feature of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. Kurupt was his rival at the time from the LBC turned ally (combine and conquer), in other words, his flow as precise Snoop Dogg, but in a different way. Lastly Daz, who was Snoop’s hustla of a cousin was studying Dre’s style since they were recording the The Chronic. This album is proof that he didn’t just steal his tricks and sensibilities, he’s an original beatmaster with the alleged best as his teacher.
The First song “Dogg Pound Gangsta’s” shows you Dre’s inspiration in Daz’s beats. It also has one of the most hilarious outro skits I’ve heard in rap music. It feels that every song is a banger. The run from the 3rd song to the 6th is one of the best I’ve heard. “New York, New York” showcases Kurupt’s lyrical skill as a west coast OG. After one tepid song the album picks up with Big Pimpin’ 2 which is a funktastic misogynic interlude which leads the listener right to one of the album’s singles, “Let’s Play House,” which according to Daz is that “*** you can’t *** with.” I agree. It’s followed by the sobering “I Don’t Like to Dream About Getting Paid” where Daz and Kurupt show their more mature sides by talking about how difficult it is trying to live clean where they lived and introduced Nate Dogg who kills the hook. RIP Nate.
The problem is that what comes after that isn’t really that great. Sure the beats sound fresh and the raps are inspired, they just sound a little repetitive and the subject matter gets a little blue for my tastes. Still, 9 bangers is a lot. So why didn’t this sell a few more million records ? 2pac. Well, that’s the short answer, The long answer is that the East Coast re-emerged with Wutang and Nas as well, the South was rocking their Goodie Mobb, UGK and OutKast and the West Coast was literally strapped up with 2pac as its General (or fall-man) with Dre’s big name beside him to focus on just how good this album is. Another reason is its length. Whether you like violence in your Gangsta Rap, weed worship, skills, sex or a mix and match of the 4, there feels like there’s a little too much of it. By the end of the album you’re satisfied, you just felt you ate too much.
But if you’re hungry for kick ass west coast hip hop look no further.
Sunny weather, beautiful women and weed,
and mother***ing G’s.
